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Released on 2013-02-13 00:00 GMT
Email-ID | 834806 |
Date | 2010-07-22 12:30:30 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | email@example.com |
1) Russia To Play 'Very Important Role' For Kyrgyzstan --
2) Kyrgyz president backs international probe into recent riots
3) Kyrgyzstan Takes Decision On Deploying CIS Police Force In South
4) Interfax Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin Report for 21 Jul 10
"INTERFAX Presidential Bulletin" -- Interfax Round-up
5) Ashgabat hosts high level dialogue meeting on Aral Sea issues
6) Kyrgyz security forces committing human rights violations - UN
7) Interfax Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin Report for 20 Jul10
"INTERFAX Presidential Bulletin" -- Interfax Round-up
8) Kyrgyz Govt Cannot Stabilize Situation, So Points to Foreign Threats
9) DPRK's KCNA Lists 22 Jul Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; KCNA headline: "Press Review"
10) No more Tajik train delay in Uzbekistan - agency
11) Uzbekistan Press 21 Jul 10
The following lists selected reports from the Uzbekistan Press on 21 Jul
10. To request further processing, please contact OSC at (800) 205-8615,
(202)338-6735; or Fax (703) 613-5735.
12) Polio Case Registered In Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk Territory
1) Back to Top
Russia To Play 'Very Important Role' For Kyrgyzstan -- - ITAR-TASS
Thursday July 22, 2010 03:22:43 GMT
BISHKEK, July 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia will alwa ys play a "very important
role" for Kyrgyzstan, the country's caretaker President Roza Otunbayeva
said in an interview with Russian mass media on Wednesday, July
21."Throughout my foreign policy career, Russia has been our strategic
partner and ally with which we are bound and close in all respects," she
said.At the same time, she said Kyrgyzstan "is gravitating towards Europe"
and wants to learn to live by its standards. "But I think Europe for us
begins in Russia, and we will adhere to cooperation with Russia as a
priority," Otunbayeva said.She said Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies were
working in close contact with their Russian colleagues.The president also
stressed that an international investigation into June's ethnic riots in
southern regions of the country would begin soon."We have agreed to such
an investigation, and Russia will certainly take part in it," she
said.Meanwhile, Kyrgyz authorities have detained ousted Ky rgyz President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev's brother, Akhmat Bakiyev, in the southern Jalal-Abad
region. He was wanted by police as a suspected organiser of mass riots.
During Kurmanbek Bakiyev's rule he was considered a "shadow governor" of
the Jalal-Abad region.Mass riots in the city of Osh in the south of
Kyrgyzstan and the adjoining regions flared up overnight to June 11. A
state of emergency and curfew were imposed in the conflict area.
Reinforcements from the Kyrgyz Interior and Defence Ministry troops and
volunteers were sent to the south of the country. A partial mobilisation
was declared in Kyrgyzstan, but the Interim administration has declared
now that no more reservists are needed.Otunbayeva also signed a decree
allowing law enforcers operating in the conflict zone to shoot to kill if
the lives of peaceful citizens were endangered.According to various
estimates, from 40,000 to 110,000 people fled violence-hit regions of
Kyrgyzstan to find shelter in neighbouring Uzbekistan. The bulk of the
refugees are women with children, the aged and the wounded. Apart from it,
some 200,000 people fled the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions for other regions
within Kyrgyzstan. As of now, more than 10,000 refugees have been reported
to return to their homes.As a result of the clashes, more than 330 people
were killed and over 2,300 people were hurt and asked for medical
assistance.Otunbayeva believes that former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's
brothers were behind the ethnic clashes in the south of the country.Kyrgyz
authorities also have facts proving that third parties were involved in
provoking ethnic clashes in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz Charge
d'Affaires in Russia Ulukbek Chinaliyev said earlier."Kyrgyz authorities
have facts that third forces were involved in the escalation of the ethnic
conflict. As of now, 800 criminal cases have been opened, and about 100
people have been arrested," he said."The investigation revealed that
persons who do not speak local languages - Tajik, Uzbek or Kyrgyz - took
part in the conflict. There are facts proofing that third parties were
involved in the escalation of the conflict," Chinaliyev said.When asked to
elaborate, he said, "We should not run ahead of the investigation.""But
there are clear facts pointing to an outside force. We can say
definitively that these are pro-Bakiyev forces. They are there and they
have sufficient financial resources that can be used for provoking
conflicts. These people know what do to in order to start a fire," the
diplomat said.(Description of Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in English -- Main
government information agency)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
2) Back to Top</ a>
Kyrgyz president backs international probe into recent riots - ITAR-TASS
Wednesday July 21, 2010 18:01:52 GMT
Excerpt from report by Russian state news agency ITAR-TASSBishkek, 21
July: The Kyrgyz authorities have taken a political decision to deploy an
OSCE police mission in the country's south, Kyrgyz President Roza
Otunbayeva told a meeting with representatives of the Russian news
agencies today."The situation in the south remains very tense. The
law-enforcement and security bodies were put on a heightened state of
alert there last Sunday (18 July)," she said. The human rights situation
as before remains critical in the southern Kyrgyz regions in many respects
because the composition of the law-enforcement and security bodies is
"monoethnic"."I think it is necessary to deploy the OSCE police force
there, onc e we are not capable of ensuring human rights on our own," the
president noted. She said that "there is nothing to worry about" the
deployment of 50 foreign police officers. "All criminals, who often act
together with police, are acting there, often entering houses, planting
something and plundering. How can this be stopped? Otunbayeva questioned.
Also, the voice of nationalists is heard in the country, who are accusing
the Kyrgyz authorities of protecting the interests of only the (ethnic)
Uzbek population. "These are our citizens and our people, therefore I will
protect them as long as I am here," she went on to say. "I am not keen on
bringing the OSCE here, but otherwise, bloodshed will continue."(Passage
omitted: Otunbayeva says OSCE police will not have weapons)She said that
she was determined to conduct an international investigation of the recent
conflict in the country's south. "I will insist on an international
investigat ion. Uzbek President Islom Karimov is the number one
counterpart (on this) for me. There is also pressure put on him inside the
country. Therefore we must prepare a report which everybody will believe,"
she said. At the same time, the country intends to conduct simultaneously
its own investigation. "We have no other option, and the main aim of the
investigation is to reconcile the sides," Otunbayeva
concluded.(Description of Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in Russian -- Main
government information agency)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
3) Back to Top
Kyrgyzstan Takes Decision On Deploying CIS Police Force In South -
Wednes day July 21, 2010 17:51:47 GMT
BISHKEK, July 21 (Itar-Tass) - Kyrgyzstan's interim government has taken a
political decision on introducing police detachments of the CIS Collective
Security Treaty Organization in the southern regions of the country,
President Roza Otunbayeva said Wednesday night at a conference with
reporters of Russian news agencies."The situation in the South remains
very tense and the forces of law and order there were placed on high
combat alert on Sunday," Otunbayeva said.She admitted the acuteness of the
situation around ensuring the observance of human rights in the southern
regions, not least because the police and law enforcement cadres are
mono-ethnic there."I think it's important to introduce CSTO police forces
there, since we're unable to guarantee people's rights on our own,"
Otunbayeva said."There's nothing dangerous in the introduction of just
fifty foreign policemen," she said."All the criminal elements who often
act hand-in-glove with the police have gotten out of hiding into broad
daylight there," Otunbayeva said."They're breaking into private houses now
and then, planting something on people, and robbing, and what should we do
to put an end to it?" she asked somewhat rhetorically.In addition,
nationalists who claim the authorities defend only the ethnic Uzbek
population in the South are speaking up."These /Uzbeks/ are our citizens
and a part of our nation and as long as I'm here I'll be defending them,"
Otunbayeva said."I'm not seeking the CSTO's embrace and I don't feel like
bringing them here to stay but the bloodletting there will continue
otherwise," she said.According to Otunbayeva, foreign policemen in the
zone of the conflict in the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan will be unarmed
and will do patrolling together with their Kyrgyzstani counterparts."Will
it be ba d at all if they bring our own policemen to a level over a period
of four months," she said.Otunbayeva also spoke of her resolve to hold an
international investigation of the recent violent ethnic conflict in the
South."I'll be pressing for an international investigation," she said.
"Counterpart No. 1 for me in this is Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov.
He's come under pressure at home, too, and that's why we should draw up a
report that everyone will find trustworthy."(Description of Source: Moscow
ITAR-TASS in English -- Main government information agency)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
4) Back to Top
Interfax Russia & CIS Presidential Bulleti n Report for 21 Jul 10
"INTERFAX Presidential Bulletin" -- Interfax Round-up - Interfax
Wednesday July 21, 2010 15:08:27 GMT
No 133 (4622)
Belarus' GDP to increase 1.6-1.7 times in next five years - PM
Public debate on draft constitution expected in Georgia
Georgia declares February 25 Day of Soviet Occupation
Kyrgyzstan parliamentary elections may be thwarted - elections chief
Kyrgyz national security chief war ns about possible destabilization
Analyst: Kyrgyz govt cannot stabilize situation, so points to foreign
Moldova calls for intl support in withdrawal of Russian troops from its
Kabardino-Balkaria's Baksan HPP attacked
No alternative to EU-Russia visa free travel - Medvedev
Finnish president to visit Russia in November
Medvedev sees no politics behind suspension of Finnish meat, milk imports
Drought conditions require tougher control - Putin
President praises 2010 grain crop
Ukraine's GDP up 6.3% in H1 - Azarov
Belarus' GDP to increase 1.6-1.7 timesin next five years - PM
In 2015, Belarus' GDP will increase by some 1.6-1.7 times from 2010,
Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky said in Minsk on Wednesday.
"We have set a high goal for the next five years: the GDP, i.e., the added
value of all industries, is to increase by 162-168%," Sidorsky said at the
meeting of the republic's organizational committee in charge of
preparations for the 4th All-Belarusian People's Assembly.
The main factor in increasing Belarus' GDP in the next five years will be
"the large-scale intensified modernization of the economy and the creation
of new breakthrough areas." "Yesterday, the president spoke in favor of
the government's proposals and we determined a dozen such areas, " he
"Belarus does not have a lot of raw materials and the economy is extremely
dependent on the import of energy and raw materials. Therefore, we have to
have a high added-value, which means primarily high qualification and
intellect of specialists and the development of high-tech production that
does not need a lot of resources," Sidorsky said.
Sidorsky also said special attention will be given to the implementation
of Belarus' innovations program in the next five years. In 2011-2015, the
funding of research and development will increase 6.5-7 times, he said.
Sidorsky also said the measures planned for the next five years are
expected to ensure "stabilization of the macroeconomic conditions in the
country, reduce inflation, stabilize the Belarusian ruble rate, reduce the
tax burden, and ease the procedures for paying taxes, duties, and fees."
According to Sidorsky's estimation, the annual inflow of direct foreign i
nvestment in Belarus will reach up to $7 billion in 2011-2015. This figure
is currently at the level of $1-1.5 billion, he said. Unfortunately, that
is not enough for effective economic development," he said.
Sidorsky said Belarus is facing the task of achieving foreign trade
surplus by active foreign economic policy and import substitution. He
reiterated that Belarus' exports are expected to double in the next five
years. "When we discussed the plans for the current five years, we only
spoke about Belarus' investment abroad. In the new government proposals,
public administration bodies and organizations are given specific projects
which are already being implemented outside the country, including in
countries such as Venezuela, Iran, and the neighboring countries. We also
plan to work on the Asia and African tracks," he said.
Public debate on draft constitution expected in Georgia
The Georgian parliament has decided to crea te a commission to organize a
public debate on the draft constitution.
The document was submitted to the parliament by Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili on Wednesday.
The parliamentarians have decided to hold a public debate on the document.
An organization commission composed of 36 people (parliamentarians and
experts) is being created. The commission will be lead by Parliament
Speaker David Bakradze.
Bakradze told reporters the organizational commission will consider all
proposals, amendments and additions to the document, after which it will
be submitted to the parliament for approval.
Georgia declares February 25 Dayof Soviet Occupation
TBILISI. July 21 (Interfax) - The Georgian parliament at a Wednesday
plenary session adopted a resolution declaring February 25 the Day of
Soviet Occupation.
The resolution binds the government to organize events every year
commemorating the victims of the Soviet occupation of February 25, 19 21.
On that day flags should be flying at half mast on all government
institutions and a minute of silence declared.
Georgia is following the example of Moldova where acting president Mihai
Ghimpu last month declared June 28 the Day of Soviet Occupation.
The opposition Communist Party of Moldova disputed the decree. The
Constitutional Court last week declared it invalid and invited Ghimpu to
cancel his decree. Ghimpu has not carried out the judgment yet referring
to legal intricacies.
The Georgian parliament also resolved to join the decision of the Europe
Parliament and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly declaring August 23 a
common remembrance day for victims of totalitarian regimes.
The resolution says that Georgia like many other nations "suffered from
the totalitarian Soviet regime."
The Georgian parliament bound the relevant institutions to better inform
the public about the history of totalitarism, namely "the Molo
tov-Ribbentrop pact signed on August 23, 1939 by the most criminal
totalitarian regimes - the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany."
Kyrgyzstan parliamentary electionsmay be thwarted - elections chief
Kyrgyz Central Elections Commission chief Akylbek Sariyev has expressed
fears that October's parliamentary elections could be disrupted.
"With the current laws, any provocation could disrupt parliamentary
elections," Sariyev said at a roundtable conference dealing with electoral
laws on Wednesday.
The Central Elections Commission cannot be contented with the procedure
for amending the Electoral Code by decrees as this goes against the
constitution, he said.
The currently existing electoral laws prohibit elections during a state of
emergency, Sariyev said.
"In this situation, any elections are out of the question. A decree
amending the Electoral Code, which the interim government has endorsed,
doesn't say a single word about repealing this norm," he said.
"If everything is left just as it is, any provocation can stop the
elections or even disrupt them," Sariyev said. "Everybody is aware that
there are enough forces capable of doing this in the country."
"Therefore, until amendments are made at the legislative level, we should
not hope that the elections will pass calmly and legitimately," Sariyev
Kyrgyz national security chief warns about possible destabilization
Kyrgyz National Security Service chief Keneshbek Dyushebayev is
pessimistic about the situation taking shape in the country.
"Despite a trend toward stabilization, the possibility that the situation
could complicate remains in place," the National Security Service said in
a statement following Dyushebayev's working trip to the southern part of
the country and meetings with leaders of local administrations on
Among d estabilizing factors, Dyushebayev mentioned "numerous civic
protest actions, unwarranted seizure of land involving elements of
aggression, cruelty, and legal nihilism, and also interethnic clashes in
the south of the republic, which have created an atmosphere of inner
anxiety and discomfort in society," he said.
"All these circumstances can be critical in triggering growth in external
threats emanating from international terrorism and religious extremism,
whose leaders and ideologists still harbor plans of forming a new
beachhead on the territory of Central Asian states," he said.
"The separation of people based on regional, tribal, and ethnic criteria
provoked by supporters of the previous regime are negatively influencing
the situation, which threatens the nation's unity, the country's
territorial integrity and sovereignty, and peaceful development of
interethnic and inter-religious relations," he said.
Dyushebayev praised measures that the leaders of southern Kyrgyz regions
were taking to stabilize the situation and reconcile the conflicting
He also said he hoped that "the republic's law enforcement and security
agencies will be a firm barrier on the way of hostile forces and will not
let their criminal designs to be implemented."
Analyst: Kyrgyz govt cannot stabilize situation, so points to foreign
A Russian analyst specializing in Central Asia on Tuesday argued that
warnings by the Kyrgyz interim government about supposed threats of
foreign militants penetrating Kyrgyzstan are a maneuver to evade
responsibility for being allegedly incapable of stabilizing the situation
in the country and averting new violence.
"As regards developments in Kyrgyzstan, no scenarios can be ruled out in
any case. Islamists may emerge there, and so may members of armed units
formed by criminal circles who are better organized than at the moment,"
And rei Grozin, director of the Central Asia Department of the Institute
of the Commonwealth of Independent States, told Interfax.
Earlier, the head of Kyrgyzstan's State National Security Service,
Keneshbek Dushebayev, said: "There are serious apprehensions that there
will be a second round of tragic events in the south, for which militants
from Afghanistan would be used - militants whom the forces of the
anti-Taliban coalition are gradually driving pushing toward the borders,
including the Afghan-Tajik border."
Grozin claimed the Kyrgyz government tends to point to supposed foreign
machinations when accused of incompetence. "This should also be taken into
account. A desire to attribute everything to the pro-Bakiyev element
(followers of toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev), to drug barons. But
there is also a power vacuum that is being filled by all sorts of
elements," Grozin said.
The domestic political crisis in Kyrgyzstan is a more s erious threat to
the country than a hypothetical Taliban invasion, he said.
However, growing instability in Kyrgyzstan may be a stimulus for militants
outside the country.
"Permanent instability at the borders of Central Asia and the power vacuum
in Kyrgyzstan will be increasing mutually supplementary trends, they will
be drawn to each other as Romeo and Juliet. This scenario automatically
implies that the instability that is gaining momentum south of the former
Soviet borders would gradually migrate northward, in various forms, very
curious at times, to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Generally
speaking, where there is little state there is always a lot of Taliban,"
he said.
Moldova calls for intl support in withdrawal of Russian troops from its
Moldovan parliament speaker and acting president Mihai Ghimpu has urged
parliaments of the world to support Chisinau on the issue of the
withdrawal of Russian armament s and ammunition from Moldovan territory.
Ahead of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva Ghimpu
called the presence of Russian arms in Transdniestria one of the reasons
why Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe, Interfax was told by
the press service of the Moldovan leader on Wednesday.
"Why have we become the poorest country in Europe? Not only because
democratic reforms were not carried out on time but also because units of
an occupation army and its property remain in Moldovan territory without
our permission and in violation of the 1999 OSCE Istanbul resolutions and
the constitution of Moldova that proclaims Moldova a neutral state,"
Ghimpu said.
He sought support from parliament speakers for the unconditional,
immediate and transparent withdrawal of armaments and ammunition from
Moldovan territory.
"This army indirectly supports the self-proclaimed republic of
Transdniestria that is a black hole for t he budget of Moldova and a zone
of instability not only for us but also for the rest of Europe," Ghimpu
On June 24 Ghimpu signed a decree declaring June 28 the day of Soviet
occupation. However, later the Constitutional Court declared the decree
Kabardino-Balkaria's Baksan HPP attacked
The Baksan Hydropower Plant, run by power group RusHydro (RTS: RUSH), came
under attack in Kabardino- Balkaria, Russia's North Caucasian republic, in
the early hours on Wednesday.
"Two hydro-generators have been blown up" in the attack, a local police
source told Interfax.
The bombings did not destroy the plant; however, the first and second
power-generating units were damaged, a source in the center for dealing
with the aftermath told Interfax.
"The third power unit was not damaged. The hydropower plant's capacity is
25 megawatts, and the aggregate capacity of the first and second power
generating u nits is 16 megawatts," the source said.
There is no threat of some populated areas being flooded, nor has the
incident affected power supplies to local homes, said the crisis center
set up immediately after the blasts. The center is led by Deputy Energy
Minister Andrei Shishkin.
"Government bodies are keeping the situation in the emergency situation
area under their control," the Russian National Antiterrorist Committee
Law enforcement and security agencies have urged people to be vigilant but
to remain calm and report any suspicious behavior, objects or vehicles
possibly related to the crime.
The Baksan hydropower plant was built between 1930 and 1936 under a
national electrification plan. Its design capacity is 25 megawatts.
Attack details
Investigators probing the attack believe there were between three to five
people involved in the attack on the Baksan HPP.
"Around three to five unidentified peop le attacked the Baksan hydropower
plant, a Kabardian-Balkarian branch of RusHydro located in the village of
Atazhukino in the Baksan municipal district of Kabardino- Balkaria, at
about 5:00 a.m. Moscow time on July 21," a crisis center of
Kabardian-Balkarian law enforcement agencies reported.
The National Antiterrorist Committee provided information that four
unidentified gunmen had attacked the power plant.
According to preliminary information, a group of unidentified people broke
into the HPP at about 4.20 a.m. Moscow time and planted explosive devices.
The first blast occurred at 5.20 a.m. Moscow time. The second blast came
at 6 a.m. Moscow time, sparking a fire in one of the generators.
RusHydro reported that the explosions occurred at 5.25 a.m. Moscow time.
According to the local Emergency Situations Ministry department, the blaze
was localized at 8:25 a.m. Moscow time and extinguished at 9:03 a.m.
Moscow time.
Preliminary reports indicate that there were five explosive devices in the
HPP's turbine compartment, with four of them going off and one being found
and defused.
Before attacking the hydropower plant, which is located in the community
of Islamei, the Baksan district, gunmen had opened fire at a police
department in the district center, Baksan.
Two members of the plant's guard, a 41-year-old non-commissioned officer
and a 25-year-old sergeant, were killed, and their weapons were stolen.
The attackers also beat two plant employees, who have been hospitalized,
one of them in critical condition.
According to preliminary information, the incident has been classified as
a "terror attack."
Immediate response
Although the HPP's capacity was cut by almost two thirds, electricity
supplies to homes were not affected. "Electricity is being supplied to
households as usual without interruptions," a spokesman from the Emergency
Situations Ministry told Interfax.
RusHydro reported after examining part of the HPP's turbine compartment
that its officials will fly to the plant on Wednesday to assess the damage
and to draw up a schedule of restoration work.
Security has been also been tightened at all of RusHydro's facilities,
especially at electric power plants in the North Caucasus, the company
The attack also made prosecutors check whether the security of energy
facilities in the North Caucasus is adequate.
"In connection with the blasts at the Baksan hydropower plant in
Kabardino-Balkaria, Prosecutor General Yury Chaika instructed his deputy
Ivan Sydoruk to exercise personal control over the investigation into the
incident. Concurrently, the prosecutors in the North Caucasus regions have
been instructed to launch urgent checks on the observance of security
precautions at other energy facilities," the Prosecutor General's Office
said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Russian Na tional Antiterrorist Committee reported security
at power facilities in southern Russia has been tightened.
"Measures have been taken to beef up the guard at all hydropower
facilities in southern Russia," the committee said in a statement.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin confirmed that security is being
tightened at all energy facilities across Russia.
"An order has been issued to tighten security at all locations to prevent
terrorist attacks on fuel and energy facilities," Sechin said during a
meeting with officials from the Energy Ministry, state-run company
RusHydro, and other agencies and energy companies on Wednesday.
The attack also prompted the Russian Interior Ministry to carry out an
investigation into the actions of the Kabardian-Balkarian Interior
Ministry due to the attack on the Baksan HPP, Russian First Deputy
Interior Minster Mikhail Sukhodolsky said.
"I have ordered an internal investigatio n into the death of our officers
and to evaluate the actions of all high-ranking officials in this
situation. Was everything necessary done by the Kabardian-Balkarian
Interior Ministry leadership to ensure security of our men?" Sukhodolsky
said at a meeting at the Interior Ministry headquarters in Moscow.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is currently on a working visit to
Finland, has been briefed by Kabardino-Balkaria President Arsen Kanokov
and Federal Security Service chief Alexander Bortnikov on measures being
taken to tighten security at the republic's strategic facilities.
"Bortnikov informed Medvedev about the investigation into the blasts at
the Baksan HPP and measures being taken to normalize the situation and to
tighten security at strategic facilities," a Kremlin spokesman said.
Kanokov spoke about "efforts to deal with the aftermath of the blasts, and
said that the republic is fully receiving electri city, which is coming in
without disruptions," the spokesman said.
The blasts went off on a reserve facility. No special problems with
electricity supplies will arise in the republic. The Russian leader was
also informed that electricity supplies to homes had not been disrupted,
the Kremlin press service reported.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in turn has instructed Deputy Prime
Minister Igor Sechin to take all the necessary measures to develop a plan
for the full restoration of the Baksan HPP.
"Immediately after reports came in about the blasts at the Baksan
Hydropower Plant, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin instructed Deputy Prime
Minister Igor Sechin to take urgent measures to redirect power flows so
that the incident at the plant not affect power supplies to consumers,"
Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.
Putin also instructed Sechin "to draw up a plan for the plant's full
restoration with in the shortest possible time."
Sechin is to host a conference on Wednesday to be attended by officials
from the Energy Ministry and other ministers and agencies as well as
representatives from the RusHydro company and other power companies to
promptly address issues related to the situation at the Baksan Hydropower
Plant, Peskov said.
Investigation and theories
Investigators have opened a criminal inquiry into the attack. "The Main
Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the North
Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts has opened a criminal case in
relation to the blasts at the Baksan Hydropower Plant - RusHydro's branch
in Kabardino-Balkaria," spokesman for the Investigative Committee of the
Prosecutor General's Office, Vladimir Markin, told Interfax.
"The possible suspects have been determined now," it said.
"An investigation has been opened involving Federal Security Service
officials a nd prosecutors and additional demining measures are being
taken," Sechin, who has been put in charge of repairing the damaged site,
was quoted as saying by Russian television.
Federation Council First Deputy Speaker and member of the National
Anti-terror Committee Alexander Torshin, who heads the Caucasus Commission
in the upper house of parliament, thinks that Wednesday's attack on the
Baksan hydropower plant was the terrorists' reaction to the federal
government's attempts to improve the economic situation in the North
"This terror attack can be seen as a reaction to the recent conference in
Kislovodsk, where Prime Minister Vladimir Putin voiced plans to promote
the economic development of the North Caucasus region. The terrorists have
demonstrated how they will ruin these plans," Torshin told Interfax.
Torshin noted, however, that terror attacks are unpredictable. "Just
recently, the terrorists targeted passengers, crowds and law enforcement
officials. Now they have switched to infrastructure facilities," he said
But law enforcement services have prevented several terror attacks,
including terror attacks on infrastructure facilities, he also said.
The terrorists have crossed the line, which makes them different from
banal bandits, the senator said. "It is clear that we are dealing with
well trained terrorists, who chose the most difficult time for those on
duty at the power plant, starting at 4 a.m., when all are falling off
their feet at the peak of tiredness," Torshin said.
But the means available to the terrorists are obviously not sufficient to
strike a larger facility, he said, noting, however, that the terror attack
on the Baksan hydropower plant may have been be a rehearsal.
"Security at small stations can be bolstered indefinitely without the
assistance and vigilance of local residents. But this will not solve the
problem," he said .
The incident must be carefully studied and analyzed, "weak points"
uncovered and recommendations sent out to all infrastructure facilities in
order to prevent further terror attacks, Torshin said.
No alternative to EU-Russia visa free travel - Medvedev
President Dmitry Medvedev said there is no alternative to visa-free travel
between Russia and the European Union and that Finland will hopefully
offer its assistance to facilitate the switch.
"We count on assistance from our partners and from Finland in this matter,
and we hope they will manage to convince the countries which have not made
up their minds yet on the pace of Russia's joining the visa-free space,"
Medvedev said at a joint news conference with Finnish President Tarja
Halonen on Wednesday.
"If problems arise for the EU, they will not come from Russia. Problems
should be resolved within the European Union, he said.
The number of criminals is high e nough within the European Union, he
continued, adding that the package of the EU's bilateral agreements with
countries already in the visa-free zone must be critically assessed.
"Look at the list of these countries and decide yourselves whether
problems will arise after a similar agreement is signed with Russia,"
Medvedev said.
"In my opinion, there is no alternative to visa-free travel between Russia
and the EU if we are to promote relations further in all spheres," he
Halonen said she did not doubt that an agreement on visa-free travel would
be signed between the EU and Russia.
"As you know, this process is not at all easy. Russia has already
submitted its draft agreement. In the European Union this issue refers to
the competence of the European Commission which makes decisions," she
said, noting that Europe is proposing a step-by-step change.
Finnish president to visit Russia in November
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said he is hoping his Finnish
counterpart pays a working visit to Russia later this year.
"I expect President Tarja Halonen to pay a large-scale visit to Russia in
the fall, during which we will have to address not only global issues but
also absolutely practical things," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said
at a joint press conference with Halonen after talks in Naantali, Finland.
The Finnish president said the two had discussed her planned visit to
Moscow in November at the talks. She proposed that a delegation of
businesspeople accompany her on the trip, an idea supported by Medvedev.
"It seems to me that the idea that a group of Finnish businesspeople come
along with the president of Finland is absolutely right, and this would
both improve the general atmosphere of confidence existing between our
business communities and help resolve practical issues," Medvedev said.
Halonen described relati ons between the two countries as "excellent" and
provided some details of the talks.
Following the press conference, both leaders plan to travel to an island
hosting a center examining the Baltic Sea's condition, where they plan to
continue discussing environmental problems.
Halonen said the two also planned to discuss international issues.
Medvedev sees no politics behind suspension of Finnish meat, milk imports
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev does not see the suspension of imports
of Finnish meat and milk to Russia as a problem and expects the situation
to be settled in the near future.
"I don't think this is some serious problem," Medvedev said at a joint
press conference with Finnish President Tarja Halonen in Naantali, Finland
on Wednesday.
Medvedev noted that, while living in St. Petersburg, he had eaten Finnish
foodstuffs quite often, "and have not gotten sick so far."
"These are goo d, normal food products," Medvedev said.
"But our rules changed some time ago. And we told our Finnish friends a
year ago that they should change their approaches toward trade with
Russia. These are technical nuances, including forms of various kinds that
need to be filled in in a slightly different way, some other parameters,"
he said.
"I hope this issue will be closed within the next two weeks," Medvedev
"It shouldn't be politicized. This is an absolutely routine trade issue. I
would like to repeat once again that the set of problems that exist now
will be fully settled in the very near future," he said.
Drought conditions require tougher control - Putin
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will ask First Deputy Prime Minister
Viktor Zubkov to take the country's drought situation in firmer hand and
speed up work on determining how much damage has been wrought.
"I think this situation h as to be taken under firmer control, and ask you
to create a working group and monitor the situation daily," Putin said
during a Wednesday meeting with Zubkov.
Zubkov said he would head the working group himself. States of emergency
have been declared in 23 of Russia's regions. "All the necessary
government decisions have been made, and it's important now that
mechanisms for implementing the decisions made are worked out," Zubkov
"We intend to monitor the entire situation, and we're working together
with governors to see that the decisions made - on budgetary credits,
subsidies, direct grants, and if need be, on extending the received
credits and selling Intervention Fund grain - more quickly reach the
regions and specific agricultural producers," Zubkov said, adding, "The
most important issue now is that this not take a lot of time."
At the end of this week, there will be a select meeting with the regions,
he sai d. Such meetings will be held weekly "so that the situation is
fully held and that decisions are immediately adopted, thereby providing
practical help to those harmed," he said.
Noting that the drought has complicated things for dairy farming, Zubkov
said a meeting is being planned with the heads of the National Milk
Producers Union. "We will discuss with them the situation that has
developed and could develop in the near-term perspective for milk
production, so as to provide concrete aid, so that there is no lessening
of the number of cattle, and milk cows are supplied with feed," Zubkov
said. "The decisions that will be made will get to real people, regions,
and businesses right away."
Responding to Putin's inquiry about organizing work to evaluate the damage
done by the drought, Zubkov said, "Unfortunately, so far only one region -
the Samara region - has fully completed its work of analyzing and putting
all the documents t ogether." This region could even see concrete
assistance today, he said.
"During the select meetings you intend to have weekly, remind the heads of
the Russian Federation regions that the sooner they do the work to
determine the scale of real damage, the sooner assistance can be received
by the corresponding businesses, that this needs to be done more
expeditiously," Putin said.
Putin also called for mechanisms to expedite compensation for damage, so
that "these guarantees, grants, and subsidies are ready the moment the
corresponding documents appear and are issued in timely fashion."
President praises 2010 grain crop
President Islam Karimov has congratulated Uzbek farmers on a grain crop of
more than 6,895,000 tonnes, which is higher than last year's level, his
press service told Interfax on Wednesday.
Karimov said Uzbekistan, which previously imported grain, today not only
produces enough of it t o meet its domestic needs but also exports some of
"Today we are justifiably proud that Uzbekistan has achieved grain
independence, having attained a strategic target," he said.
This achievement is based on modern agricultural technology that is
adjusted to Uzbekistan's climate and natural environment and on a policy
of incentives for farmers, the president said.
Grain was sown over a total area of 1.53 million hectares for the 2010
crop. This included 1.3 million hectares of irrigated lands.
Ukraine's GDP up 6.3% in H1 - Azarov
Ukraine's GDP growth came to around 6.3% in the first half of 2010, Prime
Minister Mykola Azarov said at government meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Azarov also said that industrial output had been increasing along with
cargo throughput and domestic retail turnover.
The head of a group of advisors to National Bank of Ukraine chairman
Valery Litvitsky forecast real GDP growth f or the first half of 2010 at
6.2%-6.4%, admitting that GDP growth for the year would reach around 4%.
The World Bank in June increased its forecast for Ukraine's GDP growth in
2010 from 2.5% to 3.5% and for 2011 - from 3.5% to 4%.
The Ukrainian government forecast GDP growth in 2010 at 3.7% following GDP
decline of 15.1% for 2009.
The Ukrainian government is to draw up measures to aid the bread grain
harvest and the primary use of fodder grain on the domestic market, Azarov
said."Taking into account the fact that due to bad weather the yield is
not satisfactory, we should draw up measures to harvest as much bread
grain as possible and form a state grain reserve. Fodder grain should be
first used on the domestic market to increase the number of cattle and
eliminate the shortage of Ukrainian-produced meat," he said.
Azarov instructed Vice Premier Viktor Slauta and Agriculture Minister
Mykola Prysiazhniuk to urgently submit proposals on pro viding help to
President Viktor Yanukovych expects the government to take all necessary
measures to prevent the purchase price of grain from the new harvest from
dropping, and approves of the cabinet's plan to use the Agrarian Fund to
achieve this, Azarov said.
"The president has drawn our attention to the necessity of taking
additional measures to prevent the price of grain from falling, so that
farmers can sell grain from the new harvest at a fair market price," the
premier said, opening a meeting of the government in Kyiv on Wednesday.
According to Azarov, the president supported the government's actions in
using the Agrarian Fund to stabilize the price situation. Compiled by
Andrei Petrovsky
Maya Sedova ###
(Description of Source: Moscow Interfax in English -- Nonofficial
information agency known for its extensive and detailed reporting on
domestic and international issues)
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source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
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Ashgabat hosts high level dialogue meeting on Aral Sea issues -
Wednesday July 21, 2010 07:42:53 GMT
- Ashgabat hosts high level dialogue meeting on Aral Sea issues
20.07.2010 17:34:29 A high level dialogue meeting entitled "Implementation
of the IFAS Summit Conclusions and Outcomes of the UN Secretary-General's
visit to Central Asia" took place at the UN Centre for Preventive
Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on 20
July.Senior officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the event. Representatives of
the Afghan Government and UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan took part
as observers. High level officials of international and regional
organizations also attended.The purpose of the meeting was to review the
implementation of the conclusions of the 2009 Summit of the International
Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and to discuss key results of the
visit of the UN Secretary-General in April 2010, including his discussions
with the leaders of Central Asian countries on the management of common
natural resources and the ecological security of the region.A further
objective was to provide support for the preparation of the Aral Sea Basin
Program-3 (ASBP-3) and to maintain the momentum in mobilizing the required
assistance. The event also served to introduce the participants to the
concept of dispute resolution mechanisms for trans-boundary waterways in
the context of Central Asia.The participants had a constructive exchange
of views on progress mad e in strengthening institutions and legal
frameworks for water resources management in Central Asia and on related
challenges, as mandated by the Declaration of the Summit Meeting.They were
informed about the support provided by the UN Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE) in cooperation with GTZ to the IFAS Executive Committee (EC
IFAS) and other regional organizations through the Program "Regional
Dialogue and Cooperation on Water Resources Management in Central
Asia".Representatives of UNDP, EU, OSCE, FAO and other international and
regional organizations discussed further possibilities for cooperation
with Central Asian states in advancing implementation of the Summit's
decisions.Participants also identified main areas for action based on the
Secretary-General's discussions on water and energy related issues in the
region, including further support by the UN to enhance multilateral and
bilateral dialogue.Full support was expressed for the finalization of the
A SBP-3 and the organization of the international donors' conference later
this year. The donor community was encouraged to consider additional
measures to support the preparation of the Program and its successful and
timely implementation.Participants were presented with an overview of
trans-boundary water dispute resolution methods which will be the subject
of a specialized seminar to be held by UNRCCA in November.UNRCCA
recommended that these elements should be considered in the context of
developing a strengthened dispute resolution system for trans-boundary
waters in the region, which would help strengthen existing institutional
arrangements and agreements.(Description of Source: Tashkent UzReport.com
in English -- Business information portal; URL: http://uzreport.com)
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source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
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Kyrgyz security forces committing human rights violations - UN -
Wednesday July 21, 2010 07:36:46 GMT
TIT LE: UzReport: Kyrgyz security forces committing human rights
violations - UNSECTION:AUTHOR:PUBDATE: 21.07.2010 11:41:26(UZREPORT /
NEWS) - Kyrgyz security forces committing human rights violations - UN
21.07.2010 11:41:26 Security forces in southern Kyrgyzstan are responsible
for human rights violations, ranging from arbitrary detention to torture,
threatening the fragile peace in the area six weeks after it was rocked by
deadly inter-ethnic violence, a top United Nations official said on 20
July.&q uot;Large numbers of people - most of them young men, and
virtually all of them Uzbek - have been arbitrarily detained in ways that
not only demonstrate flagrant ethnic bias, but also break many of the
fundamental tenets of both Kyrgyz and international law," High
Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stressed.Her staff in
Kyrgyzstan, she said, have received information suggesting that local
authorities are "routinely turning a blind eye" to illegal arrests,
torture and ill-treatment of detainees which result in forced
confessions.Further, the lawyers and families of victims, as well as human
rights defenders, are also being threatened and intimidated, Ms. Pillay
noted."All of these acts are clearly illegal under the Kyrgyz penal code
as well as under international law," she stated.More than 1,000 people
have been detained on the cities of Osh and Jalalabad since last month's
violence between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks, which uprooted some 400,000
people.The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported last week
that 75,000 people are still displaced.Ms. Pillay said that her team in
Kyrgyzstan has been informed about people being tortured or ill-treated
immediately after being detained by police, military or local militia
forces."We have reports of sustained, or repeated, beatings," she noted,
adding that her office has also heard accounts of detainees urged to
confess to crimes they otherwise claim to not have committed, or to
implicate others, and to pay large sums of money for their release.In "an
increasing climate of fear," Uzbeks whose family members are wanted by
security forces have also been detained, with many victims and their
relatives believed to not be reporting violations carried out by
authorities, the High Commissioner said. Attorneys and rights defenders
who have tried to seek justice have been threatened and in some cases
detained themselves.There have also been reports of doctors allegedly
refusing to issue medical certificates for people who have been tortured,
as well as death certificates for some who died during the June clashes,
making it impossible for their family members to claim compensation or
inheritance.Ms. Pillay urged Kyrgyz authorities to ensure equal access to
health services, adding that her office has also been told that men in
military uniforms have been increasingly spotted in hospitals, hindering
victims' access to medical care."I believe that accountability for past
crimes and redoubled efforts at fighting impunity, while respecting the
rights of all in Kyrgyzstan, are necessary to ensure protection, respect
for the rule of law and to avoid a repeat of ethnic violence," she
emphasized.The current situation spotlights the need for continued
monitoring of the human rights situation, especially in the country's
south, the official said, calling for a "thorough international,
independent and impartial investig ation" into last month's
violence.(Description of Source: Tashkent UzReport.com in English --
Business information portal; URL: http://uzreport.com)
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source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
7) Back to Top
Interfax Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin Report for 20 Jul10
"INTERFAX Presidential Bulletin" -- Interfax Round-up - Interfax
Wednesday July 21, 2010 07:08:49 GMT
No 132 (4621)
Baku's militaristic policy threatens Armenia - defense minister
Armenia: no way of Turkey mediating in N.-Karabakh conflict
Saakashvili rules out early parliamentary election in Georgia
Saakashvili is working on new constitution to become PM - opposition
Kazakh Prime Minister calls regional Akims to tighten control over grain
Kazakhstan to host international donor conference to raise aid for
Kyrgyz defense minister files resignation, ready to keep job
Moldovan parliament has to be dissolved in any case - Constitutional Court
Medvedev visiting Finland
Russia to continue to equip Afghan forces - Lavrov
One out of five Russian may vote for opposition presidential candidate -
Yanukovych orders prosecutor general to check Kravchuk's claims about
useof law-enforcers in politics
Baku's militaristic policy threatens Armenia - defense minister
Azerbaijan's militaristic aspirations are destabilizing the situation in
the South Caucasus, and Yerevan views them as a direct military threat,
Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Ohanian said.
"Azerbaijan's militaristic policy aimed at achieving military superiority
in order to resolve the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh in a forcible way is a
direct military threat to Armenia," Ohanian said in an interview with
"Azerbaijan has increased its military budget by several times," Ohanian
said. "This militarization policy may upset a military balance and is
provoking an arms race in the region. It threatens to destabilize the
situation and does not meet the existing agreements on resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a peaceful and negotiable way," Ohanian said.
"Unfortunately, Azerbaijan's militaristic policy and its continual threats
to resume a war imply something absolutely different. As a defense
minister, I should say that the Armenian defense forces stand ready to
rebuff any aggression," he said.
"As the main argument to intimidate Armenia, Azerbaijan has trumpeted the
fact that its defense budget has grown manifold and topped $2 billion a
year, which has prompted Azeri political analysts to say in their
militaristic rhetoric that Azerbaijan is capable of returning the occupied
territories in five or six days," Ohanian said.
Azerbaijan is mistaken if it thinks that its economic growth could prompt
Armenia to give up its principled positions, he said.
Meanwhile, an Azeri Defense Ministry spokesperson pointed out that the
restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity remains the only way to
resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and that Baku is entitled to
use any methods to attain this end.
"Azeri soil is under occupation. It is Azerbaijan's sovereign right to
choose this or that way to liberate its occupied land," Azeri Defense
Ministry press secretary Eldar Sabiroglu told Interfax.
"Azerbaijan has not occupied an inch of someone's land, including
Armenian," he said.
"Along w ith this, we should note that it is undeniable that the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with (Azerbaijan's)
territorial integrity remaining intact is an essential precondition for
peace to settle in the South Caucasus. There is no alternative to this.
The longer it takes to end the occupation, the more complicated the
situation in the region," Sabiroglu said.
Armenia: no way of Turkey mediatingin N.-Karabakh conflict
Armenia's defense minister has excluded the possibility of Turkey
mediating in the two-decade-old conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
over the latter's disputed Armenian-speaking enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"I exclude the possibility of Turkey getting involved in a new mediating
mission because for many years the policy of that country has made clear
that Ankara is not in a position to be constructive or, most importantly,
impartial," Seiran Ohanian said in an exclusive interview with Interfax.
"It came home to us once again during the Armenian-Turkish process of
seeking the ratification of the protocols on establishing bilateral
relations," he said in reference to abortive attempts by the two countries
to establish diplomatic relations.
The mediator in the conflict is the Minsk Group, an Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe body co-headed by Russia, the United
States and France.
The so-called Meiendorf Declaration, a document signed by the Armenian and
Azeri presidents in Meiendorf Castle, a Russian presidential residence
outside Moscow, in November 2008 and brokered by Russia, "unambiguously
dispelled the (expectations) of some political forces that Turkey would be
a mediator in the negotiations," Ohanian said.
The document declared talks to be the only acceptable way of seeking a
solution to the conflict.
"Turkey's attempts to settle its relations with Armenia via a set of
preconditions are effectively conducive to drawing dividing lines in the
region. Turkey's economic and transportation blockade of Armenia because
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is, I think, an immoral form of behavior
besides being an illogical one," Ohanian said.
Saakashvili rules out early parliamentary election in Georgia
President Mikhail Saakashvili has categorically opposed early
parliamentary elections in Georgia.
"Whoever is jumping there, the next parliamentary election will be held in
2012 and presidential in 2013. Political stability is particularly needed
in the country now as the crisis continues across the world," Saakashvili
told journalists.
The demand by several political parties to call an early parliamentary
election after Georgia adopts a new Constitution in the near future is
"absurd," he said.
"The current parliament is totally legitimate and is entitled to adopt a
new Constitution," Saakashvili s aid.
Meanwhile, the backers of early elections have claimed that the new
Constitution must be adopted by a new Parliament.
An ad hoc constitutional commission has already drafted a new
Constitution, which will be made available to me in the next few days,
Saakashvili said.
"As far as I know, the draft of this Constitution was approved by the
European Union and international experts," Saakashvili said.
Unlike the current Constitution, this draft significantly limits the
presidential powers, the constitutional commission told Interfax. In
particular, the government will be formed by the parliament and the
president will have no bearing on this process, whereas under the current
Constitution, the president introduces candidate government members to the
parliament to receive a confidence vote.
Saakashvili is working on new constitutionto become PM - opposition
A draft version of the new Georgian constitution created by the Cons
titutional Commission was passed to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
on Tuesday for consideration and further submission to parliament.
The draft constitution reduces the powers of the president and increases
the roles of the parliament and government, Avtandil Demetrashvili,
chairman of the Constitutional Commission, told reporters.
"We can also say that elements of a parliamentary republic dominate the
draft constitution," Demetrashvili said.
Demetrashvili said the national debate on the new constitution will begin
within a month and Georgian parliamentarians will take part in it.
To be adopted, the constitution needs to get the backing of two- thirds of
the Georgian parliament.
In the meantime, several members of the Constitutional Commission have
spoken against the draft constitution.
Dzhondi Bagaturia, a member of the Constitutional Commission, told
reporters the draft document considerably increases the role of the
government and requires the parliament to obtain its consent to make many
decisions. This has drawn a lot of criticism from the Georgia Labor Party,
which believes Saakashvili is preparing to become prime minister, who will
have much more powers than president and parliament.
The Georgian Labor Party has even proposed passing legislation to prevent
Saakashvili from becoming prime minister after his presidential term is
Kazakh Prime Minister calls regional Akims to tighten control over grain
The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov has assigned regional Akims
to tighten control over grain prices to prevent their unjustified
"You might have forgotten but I haven't, how in 2007 when grain prices in
the world went up dramatically and some of our akims started to "mess
around" with the issue," the Prime Minister said in Astana on Tuesday
assigning the authorized bodies to take the m atter under control and look
into the price gouging on grain and bread in the country's south regions.
In turn the Minister of Agriculture Akylbek Kurishbayev informed the Prime
Minister that most regions did not alter the prices except for the Zhambyl
and South Kazakhstan regions.
"The analysis of prices in these regions has found no serious reasons for
their increase and these facts should be regarded as speculative actions
by certain bodies," Kurishbayev said.
He noted that the regions held 49 thousand tons of grain owned by Food
Corporation (an operator of grain procurement for the state reserve) and
sold at below market prices.
"Food Corporation will ship an extra 100 thousand tons of grain in the
south regions in the near future to stabilize the prices - this is a 2
month norm for these regions," Kurishbayev said.
He reminded that there were 7 million tons of grain crops reserved from
2009 and Food Corporation purc hased 3.7 million tons. "This grain costs
20.6 thousand tenge per ton, including the storage expanses while the
current market prices for grain stored in the North Kazakhstan elevators
total 22-24 thousand tenge
"It means that de facto, we have created a stabilization grain fund, which
allows regulating prices for bread through food interventions," he
The Minister assumed that various intermediaries and trade dealers were to
be held responsible for a sudden increase in prices.
As reported on 14 July, the Zhambyl Region authorities were investigating
a sudden increase in prices for bread and bakery products.
According to the head of the regional business and industry department
Yerik Dokenbayev, the prices for bread increased by 10 tenge last Monday.
Kazakhstan to host international donor conference to raise aid for
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Chairman-in-Office a nd Kazakh Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev held
telephone talks with Kyrgyzstan's caretaker President Roza Otunbayeva on
During their conversation, Otunbayeva thanked Kazakhstan for setting up a
high-level working group and sending a delegation led by First Deputy
Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev to Kyrgyzstan, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry
said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Last weeks' joint sessions with a similar working group led by
Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Prime Minister Amangeldy Muraliyev was a good start
for close cooperation in the future, which gives reason for justified
optimism," Otunbayeva was quoted as saying.
"She also expressed hope for successful conduct of the international donor
conference on Kyrgyzstan in Almaty in August this year," the statement
On the same day, Saudabayev spoke by phone to Tajik Foreign Minister
Hamrokhon Zarifi.
In light of the Kazakh presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Or
ganization (SCO), the officials discussed pressing issues of regional
cooperation within this organization and expressed mutual interest in
stepping up political and economic cooperation.
Kazakhstan is currently holding the rotating presidency of the OSCE.
Kyrgyz defense minister files resignation,ready to keep job
Kyrgyzstan's acting Defense Minister Ismail Isakov told a press conference
on Tuesday that he has handed in his letter of resignation in order to run
for parliament.
"I have filed my resignation to legally take part in the parliamentary
elections (in October) representing one of the political parties," he
He said he was sure that Kyrgyz caretaker President Roza Otunbayeva would
not keep him from continuing his political career and will "make the right
However, if the president does not accept his resignation, he said he was
willing to stay on as defense minister.
Isakov added that, if he is voted into power in October, he will conduct
reforms in the army and in the state in general, specifically, in the
judicial system.
Isakov suggested that his deputy Kubanychbek Oruzayev, who wants
Kyrgyzstan to enter NATO, be his replacement.
Isakov has been Kyrgyzstan's acting defense minister and special
governmental representative in southern Kyrgyzstan since April 8.
Moldovan parliament has to be dissolved in any case - Constitutional Court
The Moldovan parliament has to be dissolved regardless of the outcome of a
constitutional referendum slated for September 5, Moldovan Constitutional
Court President Dumitru Pulbere told Interfax on Tuesday.
"Even if Moldovan citizens decide in the September 5 referendum that a
president can be elected in a popular vote, the acting president must
dissolve the parliament immediately following the referendum," Pulbere
said in commenting on acting Moldovan President Mihai Ghimpu's remark that
he wanted to consult the Constitutional Court regarding the parliament's
"No law can be retroactive. All amendments that can be made to the laws,
including the constitution, apply to the future but not to the past. Even
if the voters decide in the referendum that a president must be elected in
a direct popular vote, the Constitutional Court will adhere to the norm
existing as of the moment when the dissolution problem emerged. It emerged
on June 16, when, based on the current version of Article 78, the
parliament had to be dissolved," he said.
"The acting president has been able to dissolve the parliament any time
since June 16," he said.
It was reported earlier that the voters in the September 5 referendum will
be asked to answer whether they agree to amend the constitution in a way
that a president be elected in a direct popular vote.
The incumbent Moldovan aut horities are so trying to overcome a political
crisis. The parliament has been unable to elect a president since
September 2009.
The opposition Party of Communists and several other left-wing
non-parliamentary parties have called for boycotting the referendum.
Medvedev visiting Finland
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in Turku for a working visit
during which he and his Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen will among other
things discuss a proposal for visa-exempt travel between Russia and the
European Union, a Kremlin source said.
"The presidents will discuss approaches to the renewal of the architecture
of European security, and further development of the Russia-EU
partnership, including advancement towards visa-free travel, and
Partnership for Modernization," the source told Interfax.
"During the visit, set for July 20 and 21, the president will also discuss
nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation , and some regional problems,"
he said.
Finland ranks among Russia's priority business partners, the source said.
Trade between the two countries has increased more than fivefold over the
past ten years, and the volume of accumulated direct Finnish investment in
Russia - eight-fold. Although trade shrank in the crisis- hit year of 2009
down to $13.1 billion (from $22.4 billion in 2008), Russia ranks first
among Finland's trade partners. Bilateral trade grew more than 20% in the
first quarter of 2010, the source said.
Russia and Finland are actively cooperating in international regional
forums in the Baltic region and Northern Europe, and in the Arctic region
as a whole, including the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the Barents
Euro-Arctic Council, the Arctic Council and the Northern Dimension forum,
he said, adding that this issue is on the agenda of the talks between the
two presidents.
"Cooperation in innovation and the advanced-technology sphere also ranks
among our economic cooperation priorities," he said.
Talks between the Russian and Finnish prime ministers in Lappeenranta in
May 2010 and the first Russia-EU innovative forum gave an additional
impetus to the business cooperation in its key areas, including
shipbuilding, the energy sector and the timber industry, with an accent on
the advanced-technology innovative component.
Medvedev paid a state visit to Finland in April 2009. The Russian and
Finnish presidents met in an informal setting in Sochi in August 2009.
Russia to continue to equip Afghan forces - Lavrov
Russia intends to continue working with its international partners to
equip Afghan security forces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"We intend to help the stabilization force created in Afghanistan with the
central role of the UN by ensuring transit through the Russian territory
of cargo and international forces personnel," Lavrov sai d at a major
international conference on Afghanistan in Kabul on Tuesday.
"We are also working with our partners on additional measures to equip the
Afghan army and police. We are expanding cooperation in the training of
personnel of Afghan law enforcement agencies," the minister said.
Lavrov said Russia is actively working on restoring Afghanistan's economy.
This year, Russia cancelled a $891 million debt, bringing the total amount
of debt cancelled by Russia to $12 billion.
Russia also continues to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan,
specifically, the supply of wheat worth $15 million under the UN World
Food Programme.
At the same time, Lavrov admitted that the situation in Afghanistan
remained difficult. He reiterated the need to "settle the situation not
only in Afghanistan, but also in the areas close to the Afghan-Pakistani
The minister said that Russia was against dialogue with militants who
failed t o fulfill demands to abstain from violence, recognize
Afghanistan's Constitution, and sever ties with al-Qaeda and other
terrorist structures.
"Removal of former terrorists from the UN sanctions lists is also possible
on individual grounds," the minister said.
Lavrov urged the Afghan government and international forces in the country
to do more to fight the illegal drugs industry.
He also called for the restoration of the neutral status of Afghanistan,
saying that the presidents of Russia and the U.S. have already spoken in
favor of this.
One out of five Russian may vote for opposition presidential candidate -
One out of five citizens polled by the research portal Superjob.ru (20%)
said they would vote for an opposition presidential candidate and 21% said
they would not vote if the presidential elections were held in Russia this
coming Sunday.
The poll was conducted in all districts of Russia on July 15. It covers
econ omically active citizens older than 18.
In the meantime, one out of three respondents (31%) said they would vote
for Vladimir Putin (the respondents said Putin can become president again
due to his authority and strong personality).
Fourteen percent of the respondents said they would vote for incumbent
President Dmitry Medvedev (the respondents said they trust and respect
Medvedev and share is political views).
Another 14% of the respondents said they are undecided because of their
mistrust of the authorities in general and the voting process in
Yanukovych orders prosecutor generalto check Kravchuk's claims about useof
law-enforcers in politics
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has demanded that Prosecutor General
Oleksandr Medvedko organize checks on allegations made in the letter by
Ukraine's first president, Leonid Kravchuk, about the involvement of law
enforcement agencies in politics.
The president ial press service reported this on Tuesday.
The president said he wills personally oversee this issue, and instructed
the prosecutor general to report the results of the checks as soon as
A number of media reported that on July 19, Kravchuk asked Yanukovych to
prevent the transformation of law enforcement agencies and special
services into "the tools of a political game."
According to Kravchuk, these structures, which are expected to protect
human rights and freedoms and national interests, are facing a real threat
of being involved in nontransparent and strategically harmful processes.
In particular, he said he believes that the decisions of the Security
Service of Ukraine to detain former head of State Customs Service Anatoliy
Makarenko and former deputy head of Naftogaz Ukrainy Ihor Didenko are
excessive measures, which were not necessary for the investigation of the
case. Compiled by
Andrei Petrovsky
Maya Sedo va ###
(Description of Source: Moscow Interfax in English -- Nonofficial
information agency known for its extensive and detailed reporting on
domestic and international issues)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
8) Back to Top
Kyrgyz Govt Cannot Stabilize Situation, So Points to Foreign Threats -
Wednesday July 21, 2010 06:14:37 GMT
MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - A Russian analyst specializing in Central
Asia on Tuesday argued that warnings by the Kyrgyz interim government
about supposed threats of foreign militants penetrating Kyrgyzstan are a
maneuver to evade respo nsibility for being allegedly incapable of
stabilizing the situation in the country and averting new violence."As
regards developments in Kyrgyzstan, no scenarios can be ruled out in any
case. Islamists may emerge there, and so may members of armed units formed
by criminal circles who are better organized than at the moment," Andrei
Grozin, director of the Central Asia Department of the Institute of the
Commonwealth of Independent States, told Interfax.Earlier, the head of
Kyrgyzstan's State National Security Service, Keneshbek Dushebayev, said:
"There are serious apprehensions that there will be a second round of
tragic events in the south, for which militants from Afghanistan would be
used - militants whom the forces of the anti-Taliban coalition are
gradually driving pushing toward the borders, including the Afghan-Tajik
border."Grozin claimed the Kyrgyz government tends to point to supposed
foreign machinations when accused of incompetence. "This should also be
taken into account. A desire to attribute everything to the pro-Bakiyev
element (followers of toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev), to drug
barons. But there is also a power vacuum that is being filled by all sorts
of elements," Grozin said.The domestic political crisis in Kyrgyzstan is a
more serious threat to the country than a hypothetical Taliban invasion,
he said.However, growing instability in Kyrgyzstan may be a stimulus for
militants outside the country."Permanent instability at the borders of
Central Asia and the power vacuum in Kyrgyzstan will be increasing
mutually supplementary trends, they will be drawn to each other as Romeo
and Juliet. This scenario automatically implies that the instability that
is gaining momentum south of the former Soviet borders would gradually
migrate northward, in various forms, very curious at times, to Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Generally speaking, where there is little state
there is always a lot of Taliban," he said.Interfax-950215-CGDUCBAA
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source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
9) Back to Top
DPRK's KCNA Lists 22 Jul Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; KCNA headline: "Press Review" - KCNA
Thursday July 22, 2010 03:58:30 GMT
to the news of achievements being made in different domains of the
national economy on the occasion of the conference of the Workers' Party
of Korea.
Rodong Sinmun editorially calls for significant ly greeting the conference
of the party with the might of the single-minded unity. It runs a
political essay saying that members of the Paektusan songun
(military-first) Youth Shock Brigade are glorifying youth at difficult and
labor-consuming posts.The daily informs the readers that new Korean
documentary film "Legend of Loving Care and Belief Associated with juche
(chuch'e) Iron" was produced and the grand gymnastic and artistic
performance "Arirang" will be given here from early August.Carried in
papers is news that senior party and state officials enjoyed an art
performance given by members of the art squad of the Kim Cho'ng-suk (Kim
Jong Suk) Pyongyang Silk Mill and the itinerant art squad of the Pyongyang
Textile Mill and that state academic degrees and titles were awarded to
meritorious intellectuals.Appearing in the press is a statement issued by
a spokesman for the National Reconciliation Council denouncing the Lee
Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) group for its fascist suppression of the
progressive democratic forces of South Korea.Rodong Sinmun in an article
stresses the need to put an end to the dictatorial rule enforced by the
Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) group of traitors in order to achieve
independent and democratic development of the South Korean society and
reunification of the country.Minju Joson in a commentary assails the
Japanese government for persistently evading the liquidation of the
past.The press reports that the puppet ministry of Defense of South Korea
officially announced that it would stage the joint naval maneuvers with
the U.S. in the East Sea of Korea and that a nuclear-powered carrier
flotilla of the U.S. entered Pusan Port.Rodong Sinmun says that Pakistani
organizations made public a joint statement and Korean residents in
Uzbekistan censured the U.S. imperialists' moves for a war of aggression
on the occasion of the June 25-July 27 month of anti-U.S. joint
struggle.International news columns of the press include reports that the
president of the Council of State of Cuba called upon all the Cuban people
to fulfill their obligation in accelerating the development of the
national economy and that the German chancellor visited China.Rodong
Sinmun comes out with an article dealing with the crimes committed by the
Japanese imperialists by trampling down upon the sovereignty of Korea
through the fabrication of the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" and another
article dealing with the U.S. imperialists' destruction and plunder of
cultural properties of the Korean nation during the Korean
War.(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK
news agency. URL:
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source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
10) Back to Top
No more Tajik train delay in Uzbekistan - agency - Asia-Plus Online
Wednesday July 21, 2010 11:01:07 GMT
Excerpt from report by privately-owned Tajik news agency Asia-Plus
websiteDushanbe, 21 July: The Uzbek railways company has notified its
Tajik counterpart that all the trains which are being held up (in
Uzbekistan) will gradually be transferred to Tajikistan as from 21 July,
the head of the state unitary enterprise Tajik railways (Roh-i Ohani
Tojikiston), Hukumatullo Amonullo, said at a news conference in Dushanbe
today.According to him, Uzbek railway specialists reported that now there
was no reason to hold up (Tajikistan-bound) wagons and that as early as
today all those trains would go to their destinations in Tajikistan.At
present, 1,157 wagons with Tajikistan-b ound freight remain in Uzbekistan,
of them 1,017 should arrive in Dushanbe, and 140 should arrive in Khatlon
Region.(Passage omitted: According to preliminary estimates, the train
delay cost Tajikistan a tidy sum)(Description of Source: Dushanbe
Asia-Plus Online in Russian -- Website of privately-owned Asia-Plus news
agency; founder of media group owned by Umed Bobokhonov which launched
Asia-Plus sociopolitical weekly; URL: http://www.asiaplus.tj)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
11) Back to Top
Uzbekistan Press 21 Jul 10
The following lists selected reports from the Uzbekistan Press on 21 Jul
10. To request further processing, please contact OSC at (800) 205-8615,
(202)338-6735 ; or Fax (703) 613-5735. - -- OSC Summary
Wednesday July 21, 2010 10:52:02 GMT
Tashkent XALQ SOZI in Uzbek 21 Jul 10The newspaper publishes the texts of
Uzbek President Islom Karimov's decrees on conferring the honorary title
of the Pride of Uzbekistan on international FIFA referee Ravshan Ermatov
and on awarding FIFA referee Rafael Ilyosov the Order of Friendship. p 1
(about 150 words)The paper also prints the text of President Karimov's
congratulatory message to Uzbekistan's wheat producers on fulfilling the
wheat harvest target. p 1 (about 500 words)Uzbek wheat producers harvested
nearly 7m t of wheat this season, which exceeds the target amount, says a
newspaper correspondent. pp 1,2 (about 800 words; PROCESSING)A report says
that as part of a state employment programme, over 33,500 jobs have been
created in southernmost Surxondaryo Region so far this year. p 1 (about
100 words)Tash kent NARODNOYE SLOVO in Russian 21 Jul 10The Uzbek embassy
in Belgium hosts a briefing on measures being taken in Uzbekistan to
prevent the use of child labour in the country, a Jahon news agency report
says. The meeting notes that Uzbekistan has created all necessary
conditions for the protection of children's social and economic rights,
the report notes. It also quotes a Belgian expert and journalist as noting
Uzbekistan's particular attention to the upbringing of children. p 1
(about 400 words)Tashkent PRAVDA VOSTOKA in Russian 21 Jul 10Foreign
investment channelled into central Jizzax Region's economy amounted to 18m
dollars in the first six months of 2010, an UzA correspondent says. p 2
(about 120 words)Tashkent MILLIY TIKLANISH in Uzbek 21 Jul 10A member of
an Uzbek institute for monitoring the existing legislation says the
juvenile crime rate has been decreasing in the country thanks to state
measures to ensure the protection of children's rights and legal acts
being adopted to this effect. p 4 (about 1,000 words; PROCESSING)Tashkent
TOSHKENT HAQIQATI in Uzbek 21 July 10An article attributed to the Uzbek
news website press-uz.info expresses concern over the security of
Tajikistan's major Roghun power plant dam. It also says if the power plant
is constructed, there will be a shortage of water in the southwest of
Uzbekistan. p 3 (about 600 words)Tashkent TASHKENTSKAYA PRAVDA in Russian
21 Jul 10In an article attributed to the centrasia.ru website, the author
cites some American experts as making conclusions that suicide is a
standing problem in Tajikistan. The article also says some 260 suicide
cases were logged in the country this year and notes that 70 per cent of
those Tajik citizens who are inclined to commit suicide are at the age
ranging between 18 and 40. p 3 (about 400 words)NEGATIVE
SELECTION:Tashkent BIZNES-VESTNIK VOSTOKA in Russian/Uzbek 20 Jul
10Tashkent TOSHKENT OQSHOMI in Uzbek 20 Jul 10Tashkent VECHERNIY TASHKENT
in Russian 20 Jul 10Tashkent HURRIYAT in Uzbek 21 Jul 10Tashkent OVOZ-I
TOJIK in Tajik 21 Jul 10Tashkent TURKISTON in Uzbek 21 Jul 10(Description
of Source: Uzbekistan in Uzbek -- OSC Report)
Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
12) Back to Top
Polio Case Registered In Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk Territory -
Wednesday July 21, 2010 14:34:30 GMT
KHABAROVSK, July 21 (Itar-Tass) -- A poliomyelitis case, the first one in
the past 30 years, have been registered in Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk
Territory, the head of the territorial consumer rights supervision
authority told I tar-Tass on Wednesday.According to Vladimir Ott, the
disease was diagnosed in a five-month baby girl from a Central Asian
family. The family arrived in Khabarovsk at the invitation of the girl's
mother. The woman, born in Uzbekistan, has been residing in Khabarovsk for
the past couple of years. The whole family numbering 20 adults and
children was accommodated in a small flat.The girl was hospitalised and
medics say she is in condition of moderate gravity. Meanwhile, local
health authorities take measures to find out all those who contacted with
the child. "A total of 28 persons have already been inoculated, although
laboratory tests are not yet ready," Ott said."Only after final results
are received we will be able to say that the infection is contained," he
added.Medics are sure it is an introduced polio case.(Description of
Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in English -- Main government information agency)
Material in the World News Connection is general ly copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of


text:
Kohn lives in Brooklyn, and there is a strong kinship between the Locarno and New York Film Festivals, so it was natural for him to bring the idea to New York City. The first New York Academy ran in September 2012, just a month after the Locarno version.
The second New York Critics Academy finished its run this October. A hundred applicants—twice as many as last year—were whittled down to just eight. They are an eclectic bunch, interested in everything from Gainsborough melodramas and New Hollywood to Polish cinema and Satyajit Ray. But they do have one thing in common: a strong point of view. The ideal candidate for the Critics Academy, Kohn said, is "somebody who is not just movie obsessed, but movie obsessed with a mission and with a voice."
As in Locarno, participants divide their time between screenings and workshops. Guests include critics from Time Out, The New Yorker, and The Awl. Discussions are off the record. "What they're going to get out of it really depends on how willing they are to invest themselves in those conversations," said Eugene Hernandez, the director of digital strategy at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. (A founder of Indiewire, he collaborated with Kohn on the Locarno academy.) These candid talks help young critics understand the demands of the profession: who they should be pitching to; how to formulate an idea about films they are passionate about; and how to track stories based on when specific movies appear in the marketplace.
This year's class is entering a field already clamoring with amateur voices. In the age of the internet, every blogger with a film ticket can be a critic. But Kohn believes critics remain essential "cultural gatekeepers," helping audiences sort through the deluge of celluloid. "If you're really passionate about this medium, there's absolutely a way for you to figure out what the demands of media are right now, and superimpose your way of doing it onto that model."
The Film Society at Lincoln Center and the Swiss Association of Film Journalists certainly agree. Both the Locarno and New York Critics Academies will continue next year, and Indiewire is collaborating with the Sundance Institute to launch a similar program at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014.
In the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, at Lincoln Center, in a green room that is in fact gray, half a dozen aspiring critics were perched on sofas and stools, discussing the audience turnout for screenings of Cannes-favorite Blue Is the Warmest Color. The walls were adorned with chic black-and-white portraits of actors and directors—Ang Lee and Michael Fassbender among them—each autographed with a flourish, in black ink. Most of the official festival portraits were taken in this room. It's also where Kohn and members of the New York Critics Academy met in mid-October for one of their last roundtable sessions.
The festival was ending the following night with a screening of Spike Jonze's Her, and the critics were taking stock of their time in the Academy. Judith Dry, a 26-year-old Brooklynite with an interest in Queer cinema and music documentaries, was struck by the importance of advocacy, and "the idea that my voice is being listened to and people care about what I have to say." She watched Fifi Howls From Happiness, a documentary about reclusive Iranian artist Bahman Mohasses, and was so impressed that she immediately felt a responsibility to write about it for the many who wouldn't get a chance to see it.
Vanessa Erazo, 34, specializes in Latino films and appreciated the insider's look she had been given of the industry. "I think [the Critics Academy] provided what [Kohn] set out to do in that it provided a realistic picture of what's going on right now," she said. The prospects for budding critics no longer seemed so dire, and she was much more pragmatic about them. "It's just a changing world and you need to find your own place in it." Mark Lukenbill, 21, a senior at New York University, agreed. Although staff positions for critics are now few and far between, "you can carve out a personality and niche for yourself and if people are interested [they'll follow]," he said.
When young film buffs think of the golden age of American film criticism, they usually imagine the late Pauline Kael and Andrew Sarris, effortlessly exchanging barbs and bon mots in a smoky New York bar. Kohn once mentioned this idea to Sarris and his wife, film scholar Molly Haskell—they laughed. No, they said, we went through the same daily grind critics do now, except we had typewriters, not keyboards.

subset: commoncrawl


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Samsung PND7000 review: Flagship-caliber picture quality for a bit less money
With picture quality on par with the best TVs we've ever tested, the Samsung PND7000 plasma represents an excellent value for videophiles who don't demand to own the top-of-the-line model.
Earlier this year we called Samsung's most expensive plasma TV, the PND8000 series, the "Best overall TV of 2011 (so far)." Now that we've tested its less expensive brother, the PND7000 series reviewed here, that determination isn't as ironclad. Sure the PND8000 has a few extra features, chiefly a QWERTY keyboard remote and Web browser, but the two provide basically the same picture quality: outstanding, second among TVs this year only to Panasonic's much more expensive TC-PVT30 series, and better overall than the Panasonic GT30 and ST30 models. If you're in the market for a high-performance plasma TV and want the best blend of picture quality and value, the Samsung PND7000 is our new go-to recommendation.


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Our peer advisors (PAs) are students who have been trained to critique cover letters and resumes. Whether you have never written a resume or you desire a proof-reading of your final draft, PAs are available during both day and evening hours to meet with you one-on-one. In addition to helping to write and critique resumes and cover letters, upon referral from a professional counselor PA's are trained to assist with learning how to network, how to help students to begin to look for career-related experience(s), and can offer advice on how to prepare for basic interviews.
To schedule an appointment with a Peer Advisor please call 315-859-4346. Appointments will take place at the Career and Life Outcomes Center, 3rd Floor, Bristol Center.
Want a Peer Advisor to contact you? Send a brief note and/or your resume to email@example.com. A Peer Advisor will respond to find a time to meet within 48 hours.
Rachel Sobel '15 is a biochemistry and women's studies double major from Grafton, Wis. She has conducted biochemistry research as well as a Levitt Fellowship during her time at Hamilton, and is currently pursuing a senior fellowship project. This past year she attended the UN Climate Talks representing the American Chemical Society as a student delegate. She will serve as a student mentor this upcoming fall for the program in Lima, Peru. In her free time Rachel enjoys playing IM basketball and acting as philanthropy chair of her sorority Kappa Sigma Alpha. She also enjoys her other on-campus employment as a teaching assistant and tour guide.
Andrew Yates '15 is a double major in economics and environmental chemistry, with a minor in mathematics and is from Sutton, Mass. Last summer, Andrew constructed operational efficiency models in M&T Bank's Management Development Program. He spent the previous two years in project management at TMC Environmental, an environmental remediation and abatement firm, performing project cost analyses on hazardous waste sites. At Hamilton, Andrew is the head RA of the Dark Side, as well as vice president of Finance Club and founder and president of the Roleplaying Club. In his spare time, Andrew provides approximately 30 percent of the newly opened Chipotle's business.
Justin Zhou '15 is an economics and government double major from New York, N.Y. This past summer, Justin interned in San Diego as a finance intern at the Consumer Tax Group of Intuit Inc., a financial software company. On campus, he heads the Finance club and participates as an active member of the Consulting club. On a more personal note, as a proud New Yorker, Justin regretfully feels the obligation to be an avid New York Knicks fan, much to his own remorse. As such, in his spare time, he can often be found blowing off steam by running and playing basketball.


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Park Hill Neighborhood
Group Demands Special Prosecutor To Investigate Teen's Death By Police
Friends and family of a teenager shot and killed by Denver police have asked for a special prosecutor to investigate the case.
Chief Believes Officers Followed Protocol In Shooting Of Teen Suspect
A teenage girl shot by police on Monday morning in Denver's Park Hill neighborhood has died from her injuries.
Chauncey Billups Chosen As Grand Marshal For Stock Show Parade
will be the grand marshal for the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo Parade next month.
Barricades Meant To Deter Gang Activity Installed At Holly Square In Park Hill
Some people who live near Holly Square are unhappy about an addition to their neighborhood — concrete barricades. They are blocking the intersection of 33rd Avenue and Hudson Street, a main entry into Holly Square.
Police: 2 Men Aimed To Sexually Assault Women In Park Hill
Denver police say two men arrested for attempted sexual assault and burglary admitted they tried to break into homes in Park Hill looking for women to sexually assault.
Victim In Hospital After Denver Carjacking, Shooting
Police in Denver were searching for a suspect or suspects after a shooting and carjacking early Thursday morning in the Park Hill neighborhood.
Church Catches Fire In Denver Neighborhood
Firefighters rushed to a fire at a church in Denver's North Park Hill neighborhood Tuesday morning.
Home Catches Fire Twice In 2 Days
A home that caught fire on Friday also caught on fire Saturday.
Fire Engulfs Home In Denver, Response Time Questioned
Firefighters in Denver responded to a fire in the Park Hill neighborhood on Friday morning. Now fire investigators are interviewing an emergency dispatcher.
Man Arrested After Barricading Himself Inside Home
It is believed the man had a gun with him and his family was worried that he might be suicidal.


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Home |
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On this site, you can get a local's perspective on an Intertnational happening - people from all over the world travel in droves to Fringe Festivals every year, and this site attempts to track the conversations happening around those festivals. Get started by performing a search:
This year's Orlando Fringe has almost 100 shows across 10 venues. Go to the official Orlando Fringe shows page to get descriptions, photos and video. Come back here to leave comments and find links to podcasts and reviews.
You can get your blog linked, send us photos, submit web links, write blogs here, send us audio or video clips and press releases and help us make Blogging Fringe the place to visit for Fringe News.
We also have a VoiceMail Review Hotline at 321-441-3964! Leave us a message!
Every year I compile a list of all the Fringe videos I can find. I used to post more regularly to this website, and I did some fun podcasts and other posts here, now social media has allowed me to "lazy blog" and just collect other stuff.
This playlist starts out with a 1 hour cut of the Local Artists Preview from April 14th. I add as many videos as the artists send to me, and I welcome any submissions to rprice *AT* ryanpricemedia.com
Several out of town shows have already submitted: BITE, Spitting in the Face of the Devil, Desperately Seeking the Exit, An Illiad, Black Stockings, and Shakespeare's Histories.
I also have a bunch of local shows: Queer Diaries at the Fringe, Alex Rapattoni's 60 Minutes of Magic, Jekyll n' Hyde: a rap musical, The British Invasion, Glory Days, Escape from Baldwin Park, Tappin' and Yappin', and of course MY SHOW, CraigsLUST: A Sexploration.


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Will Ryanair face a bumpy landing this year?
Shots taken at Cork Airport of a Ryanair flight coming in to land. There are two small cottages just down the road from where I stood with children playing in the garden of one. I guess you get used to the engine whine after a while.
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